Penciled In
by RobotFish
Summary: After a mix-up in class, Sun discovers some lewd sketches of himself in Blake's notebook. How will Blake react when her once-hidden feelings are made known?
1. Chapter 1

It started off innocently enough.

When Sun first came to Blake asking if he could sit in on Professor Port's class, Blake thought he was making some sick joke. She couldn't imagine any sane person who would voluntarily suffer through one minute of Port's mind-numbing anecdotes, much less an entire hour. Even Weiss, the most academically-inclined member of Team RWBY had trouble staying awake during his lectures. Then, when it became apparent Sun was serious, Blake thought his request had some ulterior motive, most likely a prank he and Neptune concocted. No surprise then that she was initially hesitant about becoming an accessory to the mischief.

Sun must have sensed her reluctance, so he explained that all Haven students, during their stay in Vale for the Vytal Festival, were required to audit at least one non-combat course at a local academy. The faculty at Haven did not want their students to fall behind, after all.

"But why Professor Port's class?" Blake asked him as they walked together in the hallways of Beacon. "I'm sure you've heard how boring it is."

Sun shrugged. "Hey, it's not like I'm gonna pay attention in any class I audit. Plus, if I'm bored I'd rather be bored with friends," he replied with a nudge. Blake felt the corners of her mouth bending upwards even as she rolled her eyes. Smiles were not commonplace for her, but she found them gracing her usually-stoic face more frequently around Sun. Ever since the dance, she discovered he had an uncanny talent for brightening her day, a fact that did not displease Blake. Nor was she disappointed how she and Sun were spending more time together - usually in the library or outside under a tree - or how they shared friendly physical contact every now and then. Her heart grew warm as she reflected on the pleasant feeling of his company.

When she remained silent, he sighed and clasped his hands together. "C'mon, please?" he begged. "I promise I'll behave."

Blake regarded him for a moment, studying those puppy-dog eyes. He was being sincere, she could tell. Plus, it would be a welcome distraction amidst the boredom...

"Fine," she replied. "But no funny business, okay?"

He gave her a wink, earning him a playful elbow from her.

* * *

True to his word, Sun accompanied Team RWBY the next morning to Grimm Studies and sat quietly next to Blake. And true to his reputation, Professor Port was delivering one of the dullest lectures ever devised by an educator.

Blake scribbled in her notebook, as was her routine. She looked around the room, her eyes passing over the clock and wondering if Port's voice actually made time stand still. Her gaze found her teammates. Ruby was zonked out on her desk, her drowsiness Blake attributed to a late night reading of her newest weapon magazine subscription. Their fearless leader tried her best, Blake decided, but she still had some growing up to do. Weiss was, to nobody's surprise, scribbling down the exact details of how Professor Port managed to, allegedly, scale the side of the Goliath and ride it for six miles before felling the fearsome elephant-Grimm with a single swing of his axe. At least Ruby could get the notes from Weiss later.

Yang rested her head on her open hand, listening intently. At least, that's how it would appear to an unknowing observer. Blake was well-aware that Yang had an earpiece hidden in her palm and was currently listening to her newest playlist. Blake allowed herself a small grin as she glanced between Ruby and Yang, both equally inattentive. Definitely sisters.

She turned back to her sketch, her preferred method of time-killing in Port's godforsaken class. After a cautious glance to either side, she continued shading in some of the finer details of the subject's facial features. A little darker on the left, as if he was caught by candlelight... She gave a small nod of approval, liking the soft motif. She made to extend the shading down the side of his bare torso, but a small piece of folded paper slid in front of her and interrupted the flow of her pencil. A look to her right found Sun starting sideways at her with a sly smile. She raised an eyebrow, and he motioned discreetly with his hands for her to open the paper.

Blake bit her lip, wondering if she should indulge his game, but she quickly caved as curiosity got the better of her. She unfolded the note to find a crude stick-figure drawing of Professor Port barely hanging onto the side of a giant Goliath for dear life with a comically terrified expression on his face.

She snorted and covered her mouth, trying to hold back her laughter. This became even more difficult when she looked back up to find Sun mimicking the illustration in his seat by surreptitiously flailing his arms while mouthing a scream. She lowered her forehead against the desk, trying to pass her laughter off as a stifled cough. He beamed, proud he was able to elicit such a reaction. _That rapscallion_ , she thought. _Always making me laugh at times like these_.

After she regained her composure, Sun went back to resting his head on his forearms and pretending to listen to the lesson, his face now bearing a lively smile. Blake wore a pleased grin as well. That was the most fun she'd ever had in this cursed lecture hall, she decided.

She turned back to her sketch for a moment and darkened some of the lines on the subject's body, paying particular attention to the exposed abdomen and thighs. This one was turning out nicely, and she only lacked a few more details until her creation was complete. But her gaze found its way back to Sun after a short time, and she soon found herself tearing out an unused sheet from her notebook.

A couple of scribbles later and she was sliding her own note across the desk to Sun. It was his turn to be curious as he stared back at Blake, took the note from her hand and unfolded it. His grin grew even wider as he quietly cackled at Blake's drawing: Professor Port manically running from an enraged Goliath, bug-eyed with sweat droplets pouring down his face. Their shoulders heaved as they tried to contain themselves.

"Ahem!"

Immediately their backs straightened and their laughter ceased. Port was staring right at them, apparently displeased at their inattentiveness. Blake reacted with remarkable slight-of-hand, sliding the notes into her notebook, snapping it closed and nudging it off the desk and into her bag all in one swift motion. Her heart raced.

"Ms. Belladonna, Mr. Wukong, is there anything you care to add to my heroic account?" Port inquired with the 'gotcha'-tone of a watchful authority figure.

Blake gulped. "N-No, sorry Professor."

 _Please, please, don't take up the book_...

Professor Port's reputation extended beyond his intolerable lectures. His secondary claim to infamy around Beacon was his tendency to, whenever he confiscated off-topic doodles or notes passed between students, show off the contents to the entire class. Blake paled as she imagined Port waving her notebook around, its forbidden drawings made known to Beacon's student body. She swore she saw her social life flash before her eyes.

Sun at least had the sense to act shameful in order to avoid further scolding, though Blake knew the little head-bow he gave was a facade. "Yeah, sorry Boss. Won't happen again."

Port raised an eyebrow at the unorthodox honorific, and the pounding in Blake's chest grew faster. She didn't care about the notes. She didn't care about the embarrassment of being called out in front of the entire class. She didn't even care about receiving punishment for mocking a Professor. But if he took up her notebook, her life was over. No way she would ever live it down, much less adequately explain it.

Port let them stew for a while longer before returning to his lecture, and Blake gave a long exhale of relief. She made a mental note to thank Sun later for his good behavior. Her ears ached to hear the ring of the dismissal bell.

Sun gave a quiet 'psh' and gestured to Port with his thumb. He made a cross-eyed expression and shook his fist mockingly in the air, another obvious jab at the Professor's disciplinary remarks. Blake gave an unamused frown and turned her gaze away, still panicked at her close call. Her secret wasn't safe here, she needed to avoid drawing attention to herself, and Sun acting childish was certainly not going to accomplish that.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sun visibly deflate and sink down onto the desk, dejected at her suddenly aloof attitude. Her stomach twisted with guilt. This wasn't the first time she'd been unnecessarily curt with him. He was only trying to brighten her boring day, a fact that was not lost on her.

She sighed. She'd apologize to Sun later. Right now, her first priority was surviving this class. Still shaken up, Blake decided it was not safe to resume her sketches. She would have to suffer through the lecture without her usual means of mitigation, but she could bear it.

An eternity later, the bell of salvation sounded and Blake was out the door before Sun could even address her. A glance back saw him mopily gathering his belongings and swinging his bag over his shoulder, his downtrodden demeanor speaking volumes about his hurt feelings. Another sting in Blake's chest. It was exceptionally rude of her to abandon Sun after agreeing to escort him through the class, and she knew he probably thought it was something abhorrent he did that triggered her speedy and unceremonious exit.

She took out her Scroll and start composing a message, knowing she owed Sun at least that much. She refused to repeat the callous behavior she displayed when Sun asked her to the dance weeks ago.

'Sun, sorry I had to run. There's something I need to take care of. I'll meet you for lunch later, okay?'

She pressed send and continued walking down the hall, torn between self-preservation and treating Sun fairly. Her guarded, detached nature sometimes caused her to come off as cold, not because she wanted to, but because willingly keeping people at arm's length for so many years turned the action into a reflex she had yet to break. It was a habit she was consciously trying to rectify, not only with Sun, but with all her friends. And Blake felt she'd been doing well lately; one less passive-aggressive comment towards Weiss here, one more bit of encouragement for Jaune there, and then she went and ruined her streak with the one person who deserved her good grace the most. She cursed herself for being such an ingrate.

Her Scroll buzzed, and she read Sun's reply:

'No sweat, everything okay?'

Blake replied with a quick affirmative, thankful he didn't sound upset. Her reply was mostly true, she knew everything would be okay once she shoved her notebook away in the deepest, darkest corner of her bookshelf where nobody but her would ever know of its existence. Sun would have to wait just a little longer. After the incident in Port's class, Blake knew she couldn't maintain a level head around Sun with her damnable notebook burning a hole in her bag. She needed to hide it away before she could feel even remotely comfortable around him.

He was the absolute last person who should know what laid inside.

* * *

After a particularly long and tense walk back to her dorm room, Blake swiped herself in with her scroll, slipped inside and locked the door behind her. A cautious examination found the room to be empty. She hoisted her bag onto her bottom bunk and shook her head at the unnecessary paranoia. Of course her teammates weren't back yet, she'd all but scampered away from the lecture hall. There was nothing to worry about.

She drew the curtains closed, just to be safe.

Blake plopped down onto her bed and let her head fall until it hit the soft pillow. Absolute stillness was what she needed. She steadied herself internally, closed her eyes, took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Her shoulders relaxed slightly. To think she learned that little zen-trick from Weiss of all people.

She was fine. Everything was fine. She had plenty of time before Ruby came bursting through the door for a nap with Weiss and Yang in tow. Plenty of time to sit up, unzip her bag, rifle through it for her notebook and file it away in the deep recesses of...

She froze. Her fingers leafed through the books in her bag, but she did not see the one she was looking for. The notebook was nowhere to be found.

With a sharp inhale, Blake wrestled the bag into her lap and all but tore it open. Her eyes darted around, frantically searching the inside. No luck. She began throwing books out of her bag one by one, checking each one in vain. Her pulse pounded. This couldn't be happening, it should be right there!

Now hyperventilating, she jumped up and dumped out the entirety of her bag onto her bed and scouted the pile of loose papers, writing utensils and paperback volumes for the item she so desperately wanted to keep secret. But no matter how many times her Faunus eyes combed over the contents of the bag, Blake could not find her notebook. Slowly, she sank down onto her bed and buried her face in her hands.

Her notebook was lost.

She felt sick.

Really sick.

Like she'd just ingested battery acid-level sick.

She growled in a mix of anguish and frustration, clenching her hands and closing her eyes. How was this possible? For the past several weeks, ever since she found herself sketching those... those less than appropriate images, Blake had treated the notebook containing them as an extension of her own body, never letting it leave her sight or person when it wasn't hidden away. And now, it was anyone's guess where the scandalous tome was...

She stood quickly and began gathering her belongings back into her bag. It wasn't the end of the world just yet. She still had time to avoid any trouble. She just had to figure out where she'd left it and retrieve it before anyone had a chance to discover it first. She closed her eyes and racked her brain.

 _Think!_ she mentally screamed at herself. _You were in class. When was the last instance you saw it?_

Sun. The notes. Port. That's right, she'd shoved the notes into her notebook and slid them off the desk in order to prevent Professor Port from seeing them. But if that was true, then the book should have been in her bag, which it clearly was not. Blake bit her finger. This was not good. Had another student taken it off her person while she was walking back? Doubtful, but what other explanation was there? She had been distracted...

No, Blake decided, it had to be during class. She replayed the events in her mind once more, making sure to include the smallest of details. Notes into the notebook. Sliding them off the desk, straight into the open bag. More boring class. Bell. Grabbing her bag. Unzipping it and shoving her pencils inside. Closing it. Leaving class. Walking...

Her eyes widened.

Sliding the notebook into the open bag. But she always kept her bag closed during class. And Sun's bag had been right next to hers.

She had dropped her notebook into Sun's bag.

"Oh... Oh my God," Blake whispered. In the course of a few seconds, she tore out the door and was in a full-out sprint back toward the lecture hall. She passed the rest of Team RWBY down the corridor but made no attempt to acknowledge their greetings. At this point, Blake was fighting back tears, wondering which force of nature she pissed off to deserve this fate. It couldn't be true, the notebook had to still be in the classroom.

After crossing the academy in record time, pushing through crowds and colliding with a few students along the way, Blake finally reached the lecture hall. Her head was on a swivel as she descended the steps to her usual seat, searching frantically for the missing item. She flew into the chair and checked inside, on top of and under the desk in front of her. Nothing. An examination of Sun's desk yielded similar results.

Blake paused, out of breath and stupefied. Sun had her notebook in his bag. He was undoubtedly back in his guest dormitory with Neptune by now. Soon he would find it among his own books, and once he opened it...

She stood and clenched her fists. No, she couldn't let that happen. She would tackle Sun to the ground and wrestle it from his hands if necessary.

With even greater haste than her run to the lecture hall, Blake once again sprinted full-throttle towards Sun's room. The guest dormitories were only a short distance away from the regular dorms, which unfortunately for Blake meant another cross-campus trek and more precious time lost. Just when she was about to round the corner to the hallway that would allow her to enter the correct guest dormitory, something grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her to a screeching halt.

"Whoa there, partner," a familiar voice said. "Who lit a fire under your butt?"

She whirled around to face Yang, incensed that her progress had been impeded. Her partner stood there with that cocky little grin she always wore, staring Blake down with her hands on her hips.

Blake was not amused. "What do you want, Yang?" she asked.

Yang shrugged. "Just wondering what's got you in such a hurry," she replied. "You might've even given Ruby a run for her money in a foot race back there."

"That's because I need to be somewhere fast," she replied and began walking once more.

"Ah, come on," Yang chirped, matching her strides. "That wasn't your average, everyday, late-to-class running. You're really worried about something, huh?"

Blake sighed, trying to appear calm despite the turmoil in her gut. "I'm fine. I have to go," she said, picking up the pace.

"Hey," Yang said, catching Blake by the shoulder. The two girls stopped and faced each other again. "You know you can talk to me, right? If anything's wrong, I want to help." She winked. "Partners, remember?"

Blake nodded slowly. She almost considered spilling everything to Yang but decided against it. She knew she would probably never be as close to Yang as Ruby, but Blake felt like she and Yang had become sisters of sorts since they found each other in the Emerald Forest. She trusted her partner, but it would still be best if she kept this to herself. Less messy that way. "Thank you, Yang," she replied. "I know you're concerned, but I'm not going to go off the deep end like last time when we were after the White Fang. I just need to handle this alone. It's nothing bad, just... something personal." She rubbed her left arm with her right at this, her actions betraying her insecurity.

Yang considered her for a moment before nodding. "Well then, I'll be with Weiss and Rubes. If you need us, just call," she said. She gave a short wave and departed.

Blake breathed a sigh of relief and began jogging once more. Good ol' Yang. If anyone understood the need to handle some things personally, it was her. Blake knew that her partner preferred to keep the details of her occasional nighttime crusades into Vale's less than reputable establishments under the rug, and she knew not to ask about it unless Yang brought it up first. Thankfully, Yang was principled enough to extend others the same courtesy.

After ascending several flights of stairs and navigating the hallways, Blake found herself in front of Team SSSN's room. Though she'd never actually been inside, a few late-night library reading sessions over the past few weeks had ended with Blake walking Sun back to his dorm. It was an unspoken protocol between them; they each took turns walking the other back to their respective rooms after spending evenings together. But Blake never had a need to enter before, and she was now mentally reeling.

What if he was already looking at it? What if someone else was looking at it? Oh God, what if they were _all_ looking at it?

Just as she reached forward to knock, the door swung open, causing Blake to jump back and tense her muscles on reflex. Out walked Neptune, combing his hair into place. He gave his blue mane a dainty little flip before pocketing his comb. As the door swooshed shut, he finally took notice of her.

He flashed his sparkling smile. "Sup, Blake?" For some reason, he looked rather pleased with himself. "Here to see Sun?"

Some of Blake's fears dissipated. Judging by Neptune's attitude, everything seemed to be normal. "Hey Neptune," she replied. "And yeah, I am. I, um... forgot something, and he, ah-"

"Hey, no sweat," he remarked. "I know you and Sun have your thing going. It's cool, you don't have to hide it from me." He crossed his arms and nodded. "I won't gossip," he added jovially.

Her initial reflex was to vehemently deny... whatever Neptune seemed to be implying. But time was of the essence, so she decided to roll with it. "Yeah..." she tediously chuckled. "We're... having lunch together. So, is he alone in there?"

She immediately regretted her phrasing when she saw the bawdy glint in Neptune's eye. Whatever, she could clear up any misconceptions later. Right now, she had to get inside. Let Neptune believe what he would. "Yup, I'm heading out for some combat training," he answered. "I'll swipe you in before I leave." He ran his Scroll across the door lock and gave his signature double-finger point to her upon hearing it beep. "Have fun you crazy kids."

She cringed as he walked away, and down the hall she heard him mutter something about Sun owing him for being such an awesome wingman. She shook her head. As obviously insecure as Neptune was about maintaining his cool persona, she had to admit he was a good guy for helping her out. For the first time since class, she felt relaxed. Everything was fine. She just had to walk in, get the notebook from Sun with some lame excuse about how she needed it to study and walk back out. Easy. Then, she could enjoy lunch with Sun like normal.

Blake took a deep breath and opened the door.

What she found mortified her.

* * *

Hello, all. Thank you for taking interest in my story. BlackSun does not get nearly enough love, so I felt I should try to rectify that and support my ship. I would very much like to continue with this, but I would also appreciate some feedback. Please take just one minute leave me a review or PM me with your thoughts/likes/criticisms, it would mean a lot.

Until next time,

RobotFish


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorited and subscribed so far. I never imagined I'd get this sort of response with an Eclipse/BlackSun story, but alas, there are others sailing my favorite RWBY ship after all!

Disclaimer: RWBY and its characters are the property of RoosterTeeth. This fiction is a work of entertainment and will not be used for commercial means.

* * *

Blake felt her face turn twelve different shades of red.

Sun sat on the closest bed with her notebook wide open in his hands. Her ears burned white-hot and her blush grew even more fiery when she saw the open page. On it was her drawing from class: Sun, naked in the candlelight, his eyes glimmering with lust, his muscles well-defined and his groin area only partially concealed by the 'tasteful' shadow the lighting cast. Her stomach twisted, her heart raced, her breath caught in her throat.

 _This can't be happening! How the hell will I ever explain this to him? Why did he open the book to begin with?!_

"B-Blake!" Sun cried. In a panic, he slammed the notebook closed and jumped up from the bed with his hands reaching out in surrender. "T-This, it isn't what it looks like! I-I just... I didn't mean to..."

She barely heard him through her shame. This was worse than normal embarrassment. This was her most romantic and sensual feelings, her most personal and sensitive possession, all out in the open. And even worse, it was Sun for God's sake! Sun of all people, the one who inspired her erotic drawings in the first place, the one who made her feel all tingly inside. Her chest heaved as she began to hyperventilate. Why did she even draw those damn sketches to begin with? Even Blake had yet to understand how or why it started. And if she couldn't understand it, how could she possibly explain anything to Sun? How could she possibly salvage their friendship after this?

The stress and panic built in her chest to the point of suffocation. She wasn't in control. Her feelings had been revealed. She felt unsafe, so emotionally unsafe because now Sun knew everything. Her eyes were glued to the book in Sun's hands.

Face red as Ruby's cloak, tears filling her eyes, Blake let out an indignant scream.

"Sun, how could you?!" she cried.

He stumbled backward. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't know..."

"Didn't know what?!" Blake yelled, stomping forward. She fought back the tears threatening to spill out. Her heart was a jackhammer against her ribs. Her breathing grew more labored. "That you should respect my privacy?"

Sun matched every pace of Blake's with a timid step back. "No! I-I didn't mean to look." He let out a nervous squeak as his back hit the wall.

Blake stopped no more than a foot in front of him. Her arms were weak. Her entire body felt sapped of strength. She stood in silence, frozen as the rage and shock boiled inside her heart. Sun glanced down at the notebook in his hands, eyes like a whipped puppy's. He slowly extended the hand holding the notebook, offering it to Blake.

"I... promise not to tell anyone. I'm the only one who saw the sketches," he said quietly.

He winced when she swiped it out of his grasp.

Blake hung her head, still trembling. Tears still stung her eyes. She'd retrieved the notebook, but the damage was done. She couldn't bear to look him in the eye. Her secret, one she held in as high of confidence as her race and her past, revealed to the one person that should never have known. She hugged herself, trying to find some means of comfort. Her arms covered her body as if she was naked, exposed to the world just like her desires.

"H-How much did y-you see?" she dared to ask, trembling with anxiety.

The blush on Sun's face intensified. "...All of them," he admitted, his voice barely a whisper. The words slammed into her like a Dust cartridge. He stepped forward and reached out, but Blake backed away when he tried to place a hand on her shoulder. She saw Sun's hand fall and his head hang, hurt evident on his face. "I was gonna return it to you, but then the notes we wrote in class today fell out. I only opened the notebook to put them back in, I thought you were bookmarking the page or something, and... I saw the sketch you were working on..." He trudged over to his bed and collapsed into a sitting position. "Then... I just couldn't stop looking. I'm sorry, Blake," he apologized.

"It wasn't right," she said through clenched teeth. "Those were only meant for me." She hurriedly wiped away a stray tear running down her cheek. "I... I didn't want you to see them."

"Why not?" he asked.

She gave a mirthless laugh. "Do you want a list?"

"No, I mean..." Sun started. His normally-spirited demeanor was replaced by a much more serious and empathetic one. "I know it's embarrassing, and you don't like wearing your heart on your sleeve, but..."

Blake didn't need elaboration. She knew what he was asking. And she knew he was asking because he wanted to understand, wanted to help her, to walk in her shoes so she wouldn't be alone, just like he always did. Why was she blowing up over this when he'd already said he would keep her secret?

"Because I don't want to ruin our friendship," she whispered. She turned away from him and closed her eyes. Her heart still raced. This was dangerous. If she wasn't careful... She didn't want to think about her brash actions causing her to lose Sun as a friend. Even despite what she felt for him...

Sun gave a curious laugh. "How could you lose me as a friend? It's not like I'd shun you over a few drawings. That'd be silly."

"It's not silly," Blake countered, spinning to face him. Her pulse pounded with the fury of a dozen pistons. Her voice was low and quivering. "We... We've gotten a lot closer. Closer than I've been with anyone in a long time. I like talking with you and reading with you, I like spending my afternoons off with you. I feel safe with you. I've told you more about my past than anyone, even my own team. That night at the dance... You're the first person I opened up to like that in a long time. And I enjoyed it. I enjoy letting you in, Sun. I don't know what made me start sketching you like that..." She closed her eyes and felt more tears leak out, staining her face. A somber heaviness grew in her chest as she wiped away her tears. "You can't tell me this doesn't change things between us."

"Hey, c'mon," Sun quipped. "It doesn't have to."

"Sun, you saw an entire book of _my_ sketches where _you_ are nude," Blake said. Her face flushed, every part of her felt uncomfortably warm. "You know... how I see you now." She wanted to disappear. Sensual. Erotic. That's how she viewed Sun. Not platonically, not simply as a friend, but as someone to be desired. Someone with sex appeal, someone her mind's eye saw in a romantic light. And it was all crashing down on him in one big tidal wave of emotion.

"Blake..." he started. "I know this is hard for you, but... maybe it'll change things for the better. I mean, it's no secret that I-"

"I hate change, Sun," Blake said. Sun paused mid-sentence to listen to her somber words. Her voice was mournful and black. "Every change in my life has brought nothing but suffering. My parents... the White Fang..." She covered her mouth, stifling a sob. She could barely think straight, and her voice shook as she spoke her next words. "Now you know my f-feelings for you go beyond friendship. And now... things are going to change between us. With my luck, not for the better. I didn't want that. I liked... I liked _us_."

He paused before giving a short nod but didn't say anything. She felt a stab in her chest. She hated this, she hated the hurt that change brought with it. The mere thought made her sick. Suddenly, Blake found herself out of words and thoughts. Her mind was cloudy, trapped in a fog of misery and regret. She tucked the notebook under her arm, her feet painfully heavy as she forced them to move.

She walked towards the door, heartbreak shattering her chest to pieces. She should've known better than to indulge her childish fantasies by drawing those damn sketches. She should've known better than to hope that she and Sun could be something more for each other, that they could cherish and treasure what they shared and maybe even call it love one day. Her shoulders heaved with silent sobs, she felt crushed on the inside and out. She should've learned by now that happiness was something not meant for her. _There's nothing left for me but to run away... like I always do..._ she thought. Her hand touched the doorknob.

"...You're my crush."

Blake's breath caught in her throat. She whirled around, her heart skipping three beats. "W-What?" she stammered.

Sun look more sheepish than Blake had ever seen him, and he spoke with a dorky grin on his face. Was it possible for someone to be shy and smug at the same time? "I've liked you since last semester," Sun said, bashfully rubbing the back of his head. "I just... never knew exactly how to tell you, or how you felt about me. You're kinda hard to read."

Blake felt like she'd been struck by a colorful but explosive firework. "Y-You..."

"Blake," Sun said, taking her by the shoulders. She felt his hands trembling too, or maybe that was her own body. She couldn't tell anymore. Her face flushed as she stared directly into his eyes. "This is going to sound weird, but... I'm glad I found your notebook. You're like, the most amazing girl I've ever known, how could I be anything but ecstatic that you like me?"

His hand brushed her cheek. She felt her entire body ignite. Fire danced on her shoulders and face where he touched her. It was an oddly comfortable heat, like the radiance of the afternoon sun. His hands and arms steadied her, calmed her, and Blake realized for the first time what just happened.

Sun liked her. As more than a friend. He'd admitted that he wanted her. Her insides still twisted at the thought of change, at them losing what they had, but knowing that he at least returned some of her feelings was a blessing beyond measure. Hope blossomed in her heart. It felt unfamiliar but welcome. And for the first time since the dance, Blake dared to imagine what it would be like to let Sun into her heart, to freely admit she wanted him and to be with him despite all the hurt in her past.

"I... I was honestly wondering if you'd ever feel something for me," Sun said, his smile trimmed with a passing sadness. "I just didn't want it to be unre-... unreq... erm, you know-"

"Unrequited?" Blake finished.

He gave an awkward laugh. "Hehe, yeah, that one." His hands fell and his tail began twitching, which Blake knew was Sun's version of fidgeting. "This is... not exactly how I pictured this moment going," he admitted

Blake allowed herself a small grin. "Yeah, me either. Guess we're both feeling overwhelmed right now."

She saw a sly smirk creep onto his face, causing her to raise an eyebrow. She was still reeling from the confessions and the drama, but Sun's amicably mischievous expression was a welcome change that caused her to relax. "What?" she demanded.

"Sooo... you _have_ pictured this moment then," he taunted.

"Shut up," she jested, socking him in the shoulder. They both shared a short laugh.

There was an awkward pause. Blake wrung her own hands together, her stomach still in knots, completely clueless of where to go from there. She saw Sun shuffling his feet beneath him, which she had to admit was kind of cute. Still... they liked each other, but would this even work if they gave it a chance? Part of her still didn't want to know, still caused her hands to tremble and her stomach to do back flips. And that part of her told her to say goodbye to Sun that very moment and to pretend like the day had never happened. But another part of her knew that would be silly. And that part (which curiously spoke in the voices of her teammates) told her to give herself a chance to finally be happy. Her mind was racing a million miles an hour.

Sun finally cleared his throat and spoke. "So... where does this leave us?" he asked.

She flinched slightly. She knew the question was coming but still felt unprepared for it. Excuses and half-truths raced for her lips, her first instinct being to give into fear and try to preserve their friendship. Her second instinct was to throw caution to the wind and ask Sun out right then and there, but she knew she wasn't ready for that either. In the end, Blake decided on the truth. _I owe him that much, especially if we feel this way about each other..._ she thought.

"Sun... I'm just scared," Blake admitted, rubbing her arm. Sun was silent, Blake guessed he could tell she was mustering up courage. She took a deep breath and steeled herself. "If we do... If we are _together_... I just don't want it to blow up in our faces, like when I..." She trailed off and averted her eyes, feeling the familiar agonizing cut of remembrance.

"It's okay, you can talk about it," Sun said tenderly. "I don't mind." He knew what she was about to bring up, knew how fractured it left her. His face was soft, accepting, devoid of judgment.

She look at him with solemn eyes. "...Like when I left Adam," she finished. There it was, the real reason for her skittishness, her reluctance, her panic, her fear and remorse. She bowed her head, anguish chilling her bones. But the hope in her heart gave her courage. She didn't have to keep it bottled up as a burden anymore, she didn't have to endure hiding it for fear of rejection. The truth... she would tell him everything.

"I've always regretted what happened with him," she admitted. He listened intently, letting her pour out everything. "I don't regret leaving... It was painful, the hardest thing I've ever done, but I know it was the right thing to do." She trailed off and shivered. She'd never told a single person what she was about to reveal to Sun. The nerves nauseated her, but Sun's accepting spirit made her feel safe.

"The truth is..." she continued. "I stayed longer than I should have. I lied to myself about it, but I could see the White Fang becoming something bad, I could see I had no place there anymore. But I stayed anyway. I did terrible things, thing I knew were wrong because... because I was infatuated with Adam, and I wanted him to return my feelings more than anything. I wanted his acceptance so badly that I became something I hated, all because I acted like a stupid little girl and gave into my stupid little crush." She closed her eyes, her heart hurt. Like it was breaking to pieces all over again, just like when she rode away on that train, out of Adam's life forever. "Maybe if I hadn't been so stupid, I could've done something to stop him from becoming a monster instead of becoming his tool. Maybe I could've saved people from the White Fang's lies instead of letting them poison me too. Maybe... things would be different."

Sun nodded slowly. His tone was unusually somber when he spoke. "Do you... wish that things would've been different? So you could've stayed?" he asked. Blake felt her hairs stand on end. He'd always listened to her intently, but he'd never asked something like that before. Her arms turned to gooseflesh. Did she actually regret leaving? Did she wish she could go back to the White Fang and change things? She searched deep inside herself before answering...

"No," she replied. Her voice was resolute, her heart and mind ironclad in their decision. "I... do wish a lot of things were different. But not so I could've stayed. I know that even if I got my way, even if things were different, it would've probably ended the same." She smiled. "Besides... If I never left the White Fang, I'd never have come to Beacon. I'd never have been part of Team RWBY. And... I'd never have found such great friends here that accept me for what I am."

"And," Sun said with a stupid little grin. He pointed his thumb at himself. "You'd never have met this awesome guy either!"

Blake deadpanned at him, and Sun shrunk under her gaze until he was reduced to a nervous puddle. "Eh heh... Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood," he squeaked.

She shook her head but couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face. Her heart did feel lighter, and some of the heaviness in her chest was replaced by a fuzzy sensation. That lovable idiot... He straightened back up with a wink once he noticed her grin. He knew all too well that if she smiled, he wasn't really in trouble.

"You still didn't answer my question, you know," Sun said.

Blake nodded. "I know. I... I need some time, Sun."

He nodded back. "It's okay, I know you can get all... Blake-y when it comes to things like this," he replied. His half-joke earned him another sock to the arm which he gladly took. He facetiously rubbed his arm and pouted, at which she playfully scoffed. His hands traveled into his pockets as he met her gaze. "Seriously though, no pressure. I'll wait."

A grateful grin spread on her face. "Thank you," she said quietly. They enjoyed the moment together as Blake felt a reassuring warmness blossoming in her body. She sighed with umbrage. "I should go."

"Yeah," he replied. "Sorry I took up your lunch hour."

"It's okay," she said. "I'll just swipe some cookies from Ruby back in the dorm. It's unnerving how many boxes she has stowed around the room."

"Careful," Sun said. "Ruby might pull Crescent Rose on you if she catches you munching on her secret stash."

They shared another laugh before Blake patted her notebook and turned to leave. "Well... I'll see you later, okay?"

"Don't keep me waiting too long," he joked. She saw his tail twitch slightly. He meant it as humor, but Blake saw the nervous truth in his request. It tingled the back of her mind with the desire to give him some means of reassurance after he'd done the same for her.

She nodded. She took a few paces towards the door before the tingle in her mind turned into a full-out itch. There was one more thing she needed to do before she left. It would make Sun happy... and she had to admit, she'd fantasized about it for a long while now. "Sun?" she said, her voice low. His ears perked up, and Blake's gut fluttered as she approached him once more.

"Thank you," she whispered tenderly, placing her free hand on his chest. She wasn't sure what she was doing, but it felt right. She didn't stop to reconsider like she always did with damn-near everything. Right now, she would let herself do something purely because she wanted to.

"N-No problem," He said, slightly blushing. "But... what for this time?"

She gave a dreamy smile. "For being so sweet." And before he could react, she leaned up and pecked Sun on the cheek.

His tail jerked out straight before coiling on itself, and when Blake pulled away, she saw Sun's face redder than every one of his other blushes combined. His eyes flittered between her and the floor, and he wore a grin that Blake could only classify as star-struck. She turned and exited the room, a cheery spring in her step.

The door closed behind her, and Blake exhaled. She leaned against the hallway wall for a moment with a satisfied smile on her face. The corrosive stress she'd been fighting was now a bubbly giddiness. She shivered with a very different kind of nervousness now, the kind you get when a long-held fantasy becomes real and you want to make it last. She gently felt her lips, which still tingled from touching Sun's skin. She hoped he was doing the same to his cheek.

She started back for her own dorm with a satisfied but solemn sigh. There was still a lot to sort through between her and Sun, and their relationship status was by no means out of the woods of uncertainty yet. But Blake's heart swelled at the knowledge that Sun at least reciprocated her feelings, and right now she was content with the promise that they would stay close no matter what happened.

She frowned. _But what_ do _I want for us?_ she thought.

Great, another world-shattering question to ponder.

It took the entire walk back to Team RWBY's room to realize that Blake was getting nowhere by mulling over it herself. And it took an entire box of Ruby's cookies (swiped from the bottom-left drawer of her desk) before Blake loathingly accepted the undeniable fact:

 _I need help with this. I need... advice._

She nearly hissed at the thought and the consequences it carried. In order to seek the advice she needed, Blake would have to do something deplorable. Something that she detested with every fiber of her being. Something that made her skin crawl and both sets of ears twitch with annoyance. In fact, she'd rather take on an army of a hundred Beowolves before subjecting herself to such a gauntlet of verbose torture. But there was no other choice for Blake, and she begrudgingly accepted the hard truth...

She needed to talk to her teammates about boys.

* * *

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it, hated it, felt any sort of thing about it, make sure to take one minute to drop me a review! I respond to every one I get. Big thanks to **BatmanOtaku, Mastermind4892, jkphantom9, TenchiSaWaDa, Interested Third Party, browniej126, Story World, Jabawokky, lifeswordpa** and my 2 guests for reviewing chapter 1!


	3. Chapter 3

It didn't take long for the rest of Team RWBY to return to their room and begin blowing off steam, as they always did after suffering through Professor Port's class. Yang was laying down, playing some sort of fighting videogame on her Scroll. Ruby sat on the floor, tinkering with Crescent Rose and mumbling to herself (or maybe to the scythe-rifle, Blake couldn't tell) about potential upgrades. Blake couldn't help but be impressed at their leader's devotion to improving her skills and equipment. Did that girl ever get sick of seeing Beowolves torn to pieces by impossibly ostentatious weapons? Weiss was the only one still attempting to study, but Blake could tell from the glazed-over look in her eyes that she was almost at her breaking point for the day.

Blake sat atop her bed, absentmindedly flipping through her notebook. Her head pounded. She didn't know why she bothered, she already knew every sketch by heart. Maybe she just liked torturing herself by imagining Sun's shocked reaction to each lewd drawing.

She turned the page. Sun stretching with his arms above his head, drawing particular attention to his cut abs and that tortuous 'V' just above his waistline. The drawing cut off right before anything inappropriate would have been revealed down below. It was one of the more tame entries, Blake realized with a stab of self-consciousness. It wasn't uncommon for her to spend time staring at the graphite depictions of her crush - Blake had finally surrendered to labeling it as such - but before today it was solely for her own pleasure. She loved fantasizing about those handsome pencil markings coming to life and making her desires come true. She even had stories and conversations she played through her head for each sketch, little erotic scenarios where she and Sun delved into heated passion together, their words lustful and their actions smooth as silk.

Blake snorted at her musings. _'Yeah right. It turned out smooth as sandpaper in real life.'_

She closed the book and hopped off her bed, the anxiety building once more. She'd wasted enough time putting this off, and Blake knew the tension in her bones wouldn't go away until it was over. She took a deep breath.

"Hey, Yang. Can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked.

Yang sat up and paused her game. "Sure," she replied, tossing her Scroll aside and patting the spot next to her. "What's up?"

Blake took her seat slowly. Yang was the obvious choice as her go-to friend for relationship advice. Ruby's age and Weiss's less-than-favorable attitude towards most guys (including Sun) gave Blake pause when considering talking to them about her feelings. Not that she didn't trust them, but Yang definitely had the most charisma with the opposite sex out of anyone in the room.

"You're... good with boys, right?" Blake asked.

"One could say so," Yang replied coolly, brushing her fingernails across her chest. She raised an eyebrow. "Why? You got someone in your crosshairs, tiger?"

Blake's face grew warm and her ears twitched beneath her bow. She suddenly felt shy. "I-I wouldn't say it like that, but-"

"Well then, you came to the right place!" Yang exclaimed, jumping up and drawing the attention of the whole room. "With my help, you'll have him practically eating out of your hands in no time."

"Says the only one who couldn't get a date to the dance," Weiss piped up.

"Hey!" Yang cried. "That's because I was planning the dance, thank you very much. And Ruby didn't have a date either!"

"Way to throw me under the bus, sis..." Ruby mumbled, looking slightly dejected. Memories of her socially-awkward night still did not sit well with her, Blake had noticed.

"Ruby's two years our younger," Weiss replied matter-of-factly. "She's still inexperienced with that kind of thing, and plus, she was busy fighting that woman in black." She smugly flipped her hair. "Meanwhile, I had plenty of time to plan the dance _and_ have Neptune swooning in my arms as we swayed the night away. You have no excuse."

Yang bared her teeth and glared. Blake tried to say something before it turned into another Yang vs Weiss rhetorical battle, but she was too late. She supposed it was unavoidable when Yang's nature most closely personified fire and Weiss's ice. Fated to clash, or something like that. "Oh yeah?" Yang fired back, her hands on her hips. "I bet I've gotten ten times as many dates as you this year!"

"Ah, guys-" Ruby started. She and Blake made exasperated eye contact. Always having to play the peace makers...

"Oh please!" Weiss jeered. "You haven't been on a proper date since you enrolled here, same as the rest of us."

"You don't know that!" Yang cried.

Weiss humphed. "Of course I do, Ruby told me so."

Yang's eyes narrowed and darted over to Ruby, who 'eeped' and, in a flash, was suddenly cowering underneath her bed sheets. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!" she stammered.

"Rubes, how could you!" Yang exclaimed in feigned indignance. She clutched her heart. "Betrayed by my only sister to a heartless Ice Queen!"

"Shut it you brute," Weiss grumbled.

Blake cleared her throat and caught her teammate's attention once more. She was starting to regret this. Why did she ever expect a serious and fruitful conversation to come out of talking to this hapless lot?

She inwardly sighed. _Because they're my family..._

"Sorry, back on topic," Yang said, taking her seat next to Blake once more. Ruby peered over her sheets and Weiss continued to act uninterested behind her homework, though Blake knew she was stealing sideways glances at the conversation. Yang and Weiss would no doubt have more words later, but in the meantime they both seemed to settle for an unspoken truce.

Blake nodded. "So there's this boy. And... I really like him."

Yang nodded. "Mhmm, we know."

"I-" Blake was about to continue but stopped short at Yang's words. "Wait, know what?"

Ruby gave a 'psh' and rested her head on her elbows. "C'mon Blake, it's not like we haven't noticed."

A warm, embarrassed blush began to grow across Blake's face. Even Weiss nodded in agreement with Ruby's words. "K-Know what?" Blake stammered, her eyes darting around the room. Her stomach bubbled as the grins growing on her teammate's faces told her she was caught red-handed.

The other three shared a puckish look before answering in unison, "Sun."

Blake groaned and let her face fall into her hands. "God, was I that obvious?" she mumbled too low for anyone to hear. The embarrassment that would normally course through her veins was now replaced by exhaustion and resigned annoyance. After the whole debacle of a confession with Sun and the awkwardness that followed, she simply did not have any more blushes left to give. She looked up at her team, surrendering herself to complete emotional exposure. It made her skin tingle with slight discomfort, but strangely, a sense of relief also washed over Blake. It felt nice not to hide her feelings and thoughts for once. She felt lighter, freed in some way.

She smiled despite the warmth in her cheeks. If she was going to ask for help, she might as well accept the fact that there would be some teasing. "Okay, you got me," she admitted.

Ruby gave an adorable squee at this. "You two will be so cute together!" she cried.

"N-No!" Blake stuttered, caught off-guard by Ruby's assumption. "We're not... not yet at least... I mean-"

"Ohhhh man," Yang drawled. "You two just went through something super-awkward, didn't you?" Blake nodded, shivering slightly as she realized she still clutched the piece of erotic contraband that started this wonderfully terrible mess. "I knew something was up when I saw you running around like a maniac earlier. Well, why don't you take it from the top? And don't spare any of the details."

Blake paused for a moment before replying with, "Okay." It was a half-lie. No way was she going to reveal the existence of her sketches to her teammates. But she could give them a clear picture of the situation with some clever substitution...

Her mind made up, Blake began explaining. "This morning, Sun found out that I like him. You know, as more than a friend." She paused for her teammates' reactions. She expected some sympathetic groans, or at least wince from Ruby, but instead she was met with only expectant looks.

When it became clear that Blake was pausing for failed dramatic effect Weiss raised an eyebrow. "And this is a problem how?"

"Yeah," Yang agreed. "You two have been smitten with each other since last semester. If he found out you like him too, isn't that a good thing?"

"It..." Blake felt a lump in her throat as she attempted to dance around bringing up the sketches. Time for another half-truth. "I wasn't _that_ he found out. It was... how he found out." She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth, hoping her team attributed her uneasiness to the day's events instead of her fabricating the story. "He... read my diary."

Yang, Weiss and Ruby let out the collective groan Blake had been expecting earlier. Of course, she didn't actually own a diary, but the personal nature of such an object was similar to her notebook. It would suffice.

"But why would he do that?" Ruby asked. "Sun always seems like such a nice guy."

Weiss huffed. "If it was me, I'd teach him a lesson!" she exclaimed. "Crush or not, nobody violates my privacy like that!"

Blake shook her head. "It wasn't on purpose, not entirely. Actually, the whole thing was my fault..." She sighed. "So, yesterday Sun asked if he could sit in on Professor Port's class..."

This was going to be a long story.

* * *

"...and now I'm sitting here, in my room, wondering what the hell I should do," Sun finished.

Neptune crossed his arms. "Well, considering it's you we're talking about, I'd say it went pretty well."

Sun huffed. "Yeah right. I just blurted it out like an idiot. Seriously, 'You're my crush'? I've daydreamed about telling Blake how I feel a thousand times, and when I finally get my chance that's all I come up with?!"

"Hey, if it's the truth then it can't be all bad," Neptune replied.

"I dunno, it was pretty bad..."

After Blake left, Sun had wasted no time in beating himself up over just about everything. Neptune re-entered the room to find his partner repeatedly thumping his head against the wall, and after making sure Sun hadn't smacked a hole in the plaster, he sat down one on one with the distraught boy. Sun recounted the day's events, making sure to leave out the exact details of Blake's sketches. Neptune seemed satisfied with Sun's explanation and didn't ask any further questions, and now Sun felt utterly spent and hapless.

"What am I gonna do?" Sun exclaimed in anguish.

Neptune shrugged nonchalantly. "She asked for some time right?" Sun nodded. "Then there you go, just give her some space until she's ready to talk."

"But what if she's never ready?" Sun replied, his gut wrenching. "What if I scared her off? What if she just said that so she could get away from me?"

"Dude, are you serious right now?" Neptune cried. "She kissed you!"

"Yeah, but..." Sun's head was spinning. Hours later he still could not process his conversation with Blake and the kiss that it ended with. Dozens of emotions raged inside of him. Excitement, bashfulness, doubt, nervousness, giddiness, hope, fear, they all crashed against each other in one gigantic torrent. And it confused him, so much so that he could barely separate reality from the musings of his hysteric mind. "It could've been like... a friendly kiss? What if - ow!"

Sun rubbed his head where Neptune had smacked it. "Stop being an idiot," Neptune replied.

He put his hands in his lap. "Yeah... sorry. I just really like her. I've never felt like this about _anyone_ before. She's smart, and beautiful, and driven, and down to earth, and she actually lau-"

"-Laughs at your jokes, yeah. You've mentioned it only like a hundred times."

Sun sighed. "I can't help but thinking, what if I screw it up? I've wanted to be with her for almost as long as I've known her, but now that something might actually happen between us..."

Neptune nodded, processing his words. Sun felt empty inside. What did he really have to offer Blake? She was so strong, and cool, and driven. Exactly what he wasn't. How long before he said the wrong thing and she got sick of him? How long before she grew tired of his jokes and he couldn't make her smile anymore?

"Did I ever tell you why I changed my mind and asked Weiss to dance with me that night?" Neptune suddenly asked. Sun shook his head. "It was because of Jaune."

Sun recoiled. "Jaune? Our Jaune? As in the one Yang always calls vomit-boy Jaune?"

Neptune nodded. "I didn't originally go to the dance with Weiss because I didn't know how to dance. I was worried that once Weiss realized I wasn't some cool, edgy bad boy that she'd laugh at me and never talk to me again. You know what he told me?"

"Jaune Arc's ten steps to dealing with rejection?" Sun replied amicably.

"Haha, very funny," Neptune deadpanned. "But no. He told me to go talk to her. Without any pickup lines or suave moves. And it worked, dude. It really worked. Like, better than any other way I've hit on girls before. Just be yourself and stop worrying."

Sun gave a gloomy half-smile and sighed. "Thanks, but I think my problem is a little more complicated than that."

Neptune shrugged. "Hey, it doesn't have to be." He clapped Sun on the shoulder. "You like her, she likes you, you're already glued together at the hip. Just take what you and Blake have now and add in some mushy stuff and a couple of kisses."

Sun felt the reassurance finally lifting his bad mood. "You really think it's that simple?"

"Trust me dude, I've seen the way you two act around each other. I know you'll both be really happy together. Just give Blake some space until she's ready, and everything will work out fine," Neptune said, standing up.

Sun remained sitting for a moment before saying, "Yeah... you're right. You're absolutely right!" He jumped up, invigorated. "And when she is ready, I'll be the best, most caring guy she'll ever know!"

"Aaaaand my work here is done," Neptune said. He grabbed his backpack and made for the door. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a class to sleep through."

Sun nodded, a powerful beating in his heart. His adrenaline pumped at the thought of finally asking Blake to be with him, but Neptune's pep talk made him realize that he was ready. He and Blake had dance around each other - and with each other - for too long now. It was time to make his daydreams and fantasies a reality. He smiled. He had great friends, ones that he knew would always have his back, whether he was fighting against a horde of Grimm or stumbling for relationship advice.

"Thanks man, I mean it," Sun said.

"Anytime," Neptune replied. "Oh, and... let's keep this discussion between us, okay?"

"Why's that?" Sun asked.

"Because I can't have people knowing that vomit-boy gave Neptune Vasilias romantic advice, that's why."

Sun chuckled and held up his pinkie finger. "Cross my heart."

* * *

"Blake wri-ites smuuuuut! Blake wri-ites smuuuuut!"

Blake flushed, her blood boiling from equal parts indignance and mortification. "S-Shut up, Yang! No I don't!"

"Pa-lease, Blake!" Yang cried through her frame-shaking laughter. She was practically on the floor turning in circles. "I think we all know what those 'entries you would rather have kept private' are."

Her plan had backfired spectacularly. Apparently, it didn't matter what medium in which she allegedly expressed her unresolved sexual tension, it was all fair game for those with a cheeky sense of humor. When it became apparent Blake was beating around the bush with the exact details of the 'diary entries' that led to the awkward confessions, Yang wasted no time jumping to the worst possible scenario. Of course, Yang was only trying to tease Blake as she normally did, but this time she had no idea how close to the truth she actually was.

Blake glared and poked Yang in the chest. "I. Do _not_. Write smut," she growled through clenched teeth. So what she technically drew smut? Yang was still wrong!

"Aww, it's okay Blake," Ruby piped in. Her words would have seemed innocent were it not for the mischievous grin plastered across her face. "Look on the bright side. If becoming a huntress doesn't work out, you could write the next installment of Ninjas of Love!" At this, the two sisters erupted into laughter once more, and Blake felt her cat ears folding down against her head in hurt and frustration. She began trembling.

"Knock it off!" Weiss cried. "Like you two have never thought about boys that way! It doesn't matter what's in Blake's diary because it's none of our business. Now stop harassing her when she's coming to us for help!"

The room was silent for a moment, and Blake didn't know what surprised her more; the fact that Weiss was defending her, or the fact that Weiss was empathizing with her. Either way, Blake gave the heiress a grateful smile.

Blake caught a glance of Ruby and Yang, who both now looked sick with guilt. She flashed them a smile too. She knew her team didn't mean to make her feel bad, but unfortunately the four of them were still learning the boundaries of each other's comfort zones. Blake's just happened to be narrower than most.

Ruby bowed her head. "Sorry, Blake."

"Yeah, you've had a rough day, and we went a little overboard there," Yang added.

"It's okay," Blake replied. "I'm just on edge after... well, everything."

Weiss shrugged. "Well, I still fail to see the problem. Honestly, if you had the confidence to kiss him, I can't see what you have to worry about."

"It's not that..." Blake said.

"Then what is it?" Ruby asked.

Blake's eyes closed as she flashed back to all the moments with Sun she loved and cherished. Like bright, happy little lights flickering against the rest of her dark past. She wasn't just existing here, she was living. She was happy. Sun made her happy.

"I really, _really_ care for him..." Blake whispered. "I just don't want to lose him."

"Why would you?" Ruby asked. "I mean, I've never really had a boyfriend or anything, but you and Sun seem like you're already together."

Blake stopped to consider this. "To tell you the truth, it almost felt like that to me as well. I think we both knew where our friendship was heading, but..." She scowled and let out a frustrated groan. "It was supposed to be so easy! I always imagined one day we'd be hanging out, and... I don't know, if we were going to be boyfriend and girlfriend, that it would just happen." Her heart grew heavy as she got the core of her fears. She closed her eyes as the stabbing pain of her past returned. "The last time I felt this way about someone... it ended in tragedy. It scarred me for a long time. What if this ends the same way? What if what happened between Sun and me today means it's not meant to be?"

The rest of the room was quiet for a moment before Yang slid over and wrapped her arm around Blake's shoulders. Yang pulled her close, and Blake felt a trickle of comfort inside her partner's embrace. "You know," Yang said, "the first time I asked my mom what it felt like to be in love, she sat me down and wrapped her arm around me, just like this. And she taught me a lot of things about love and commitment that day. But you know the one thing she said that stood out to me more than anything else?"

Blake shook her head. "What?"

"She said that love requires more effort than just hoping things are 'meant to be'."

Blake shook her head. "I don't know what that means, Yang."

"Sure you do," Yang replied. "It means that worrying about whether or not you and Sun were 'made' to fit together by fate or whatever is pointless. What matters is how you are when the two of you are together. And if you haven't noticed, Blake, you freaking _glow_ every time you're with Sun."

"Yeah," Ruby said. "You're like, way more chill and smiley and less... erm, Blake-y, like Sun said. And even Sun behaves himself when he's around you! You make each other better!"

The two sisters glanced at Weiss expectantly, and the heiress sighed before answering, "I suppose the two of you are much less insufferable while in each others' presence."

Yang ruffled the hair on Blake's head between her covered cat ears. "The past doesn't have to define you. That's something we've all been trying to get through that thick skull of yours."

Blake playfully elbowed Yang away and smiled. Even though she still had her doubts, she knew in her heart that her team was right. The last year had been a perpetual transformation for Blake, like tearing off layer after layer of ugly, calloused skin. Her past outside the kingdoms of Remnant had created a withdrawn, untrusting, cynical girl who kept everyone at arm's length. Coming to Beacon, meeting her team, had changed all of that. She trusted people now, she had friends that she wasn't afraid to confide in, she carried hope instead of skepticism. And most importantly, she fought not because she wanted to escape her self-loathing and atone for her sins, but to protect the people she loved.

And now, Blake realized what was holding her back. She was never truly happy with Adam. Being by his side didn't make her feel good about herself. Sun did. In order to take the next step, she had to allow herself to be happy.

She nodded, a solemn but peaceful fire in her heart. "You're right," she replied as she stood up. "Thanks guys. I'll see you later."

"W-Wait!" Ruby said. "You're leaving? Just like that?"

Blake smiled over her shoulder. "Well, I can't keep Sun waiting forever, can I?" She walked out the door, knowing what she had to do.

* * *

No sooner than the door had closed did Weiss find Yang standing in front of her wearing a shit-eating grin.

"Pay up, princess," she said.

Weiss grimaced and produced a fist full of Lien, which Yang more than graciously accepted. She began leafing through the bills while whistling a spunky tune.

"For the record," Weiss stated, "If they had waited until next semester, I would have won."

Ruby appeared utterly confused. "Um, guys... what am I missing here?"

Yang flopped down on her bed and casually replied, "Weiss and I had a bet on when Blake and Sun would finally get together."

Ruby's eyes widened. "But that's - I - you can't just bet on stuff like that!"

"Oh relax, Ruby," Weiss chided. "We were betting on _when_ , not _if_ , they got together, so it's harmless."

"Besides," Yang added, "We have several of those bets ongoing for other friends too."

"What?!" Ruby exclaimed.

Weiss nodded. "Let's see, there's Jaune and Pyrrha, Nora and Ren, Coco and Fox-"

"I still maintain that I've already won that last bet," Yang said.

"You hush, we haven't confirmed it yet," Weiss fired back.

Ruby shook her head. "You guys are terrible!" Her eyes widened as something occurred to her. "Wait, do you two have a bet that involves me?"

Yang shrugged. "Can't remember."

"Oh come on!" Ruby cried. "Weiss, you'd tell me right?" She put on her best puppy dog eyes.

"No clue," Weiss replied coolly.

"This is so unfair!" she shouted, falling onto her bed and pressing her head into her pillow. "First someone eats my secret stash of cookies and now this? This day sucks..." She rolled over and stared at the ceiling, pouting at her minor misfortune. Once the mood passed, she gave a small smile.

"Guys?"

"Yes?" Weiss asked.

"Do you think Blake's talk with Sun will go well?"

"Don't worry, Rubes," Yang said. "I have a feeling they'll be just fine."

* * *

A/N: Thanks to BatmanOtaku, browniej126, Tomson321, Agemo5000, OneLegasy, Kuroiikawa, GrimmLocke420, frik1000, jkphantom9, workeranomalie, Foxgun223, Smooth Flying and my one guest for reviewing last chapter! Please take a few seconds to drop me a review on this chapter, I really appreciate your feedback and I respond to every review I receive.


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